The invention relates to an integratable Hall element which comprises a semi-conductor layer of a single conductivity type, on whose surface there are disposed two sensor electrodes and at least one current electrode of several current electrodes, and wherein the current electrodes serve to be connected to an energy source and the one current electrode is equipped with a first connecting contact which forms a first supply pole.
The Hall element can be used as a magnetic field sensor, for example in an electricity counter, or in an output meter for measuring the current consumed, which, as is known, is proportional to the magnetic field generated by the current.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,107 there has become known an integrated Hall element, which measures a magnetic field acting at right angles to its surface, as can be ascertained, for example from column 1, lines 14 through 20 and from FIG. 2.
Furthermore there are known integrated magnetic field sensors, for example magnetic diodes and magnetic transistors, which measure a magnetic field acting parallel to its surface. Their construction is more complicated than that of Hall elements. Furthermore they are rather temperature-sensitive and in principle have a non-linear characteristic line. They are further sensitive with respect to shot noise. A magneto-transistor of this type is, for example, known from IEEE Electron Device letters, Volume EDL-4, No 3, March 1983, pages 51 to 53 "An investigation of the sensitivity of lateral magneto-transistors" R. S. Popovic et al.